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Legal Case and Court Management

Commentary

The Problem of Prosecuting International Jihadists

The International Criminal Court may be the most ideal institution to try accused terrorists. The court would take into account the legal status of terrorists, the nationalities of their victims, and the location of the crimes — while upholding the core values of Western democracies.

Mar 9, 2018
Report

Too Little Evidence Available to Determine Cost Savings of Crime Reform Initiative for Los Angeles County

While a California ballot initiative reducing penalties for some criminal offenses promised to save local governments money, quantifying such savings will require significant changes in the way local agencies track workloads.

Jun 15, 2017
Report

Discount Justice: State Court Belt-Tightening in an Era of Fiscal Austerity

Following the 2008 financial crisis, fiscal pressure on the states has led to corresponding pressure for court system retrenchment. In January 2015, the UCLA–RAND Center for Law and Public Policy held a conference to examine the depth of the resourcing problem and identify policy options and practical steps to mitigate the challenges.

May 26, 2017
Commentary

Using Digital Data in Criminal Investigations

Personal devices such as smartphones and wearables gather and store personal data. How much of this “digital footprint” should be available for criminal investigations?

May 15, 2017
Commentary

Does the Court System Know as Much About ESI as Your Teenager? It Should.

Electronically stored information (ESI) from smart appliances, fitness trackers, and other devices is making its way into the U.S. court system. Judges and lawyers need to better understand this evidence so they can challenge it or rule on its admissibility in court.

Feb 21, 2017
Report

Preparing the U.S. Legal System for Emerging Technologies

Personal technology gathers data that can be useful in criminal justice proceedings. But this can also pose challenges for protecting individual rights. Identifying future conflicts ahead of time can help.

Jan 10, 2017
Report

Report

The Justice Innovation Center: Identifying the Needs and Challenges of Criminal Justice Agencies in Small, Rural, Tribal, and Border Areas

The Justice Innovation Center provides information on technology needs, priorities, and solutions for small, rural, tribal, and border criminal justice agencies. This report summarizes the center's first year of efforts.

Nov 16, 2016
Periodical

Periodical

RAND Review: July-August 2016

This issue highlights the stress of military deployments and resilience of military families; RAND research on cybercrime, network defense, and data breaches; the 40th anniversary of RAND's landmark Health Insurance Experiment; and more.

Jun 27, 2016
Report

Fostering Innovation in the U.S. Court System

The court system needs to adapt to today's challenges and respond to new opportunities. Identifying high-priority needs provides a menu of innovation options for addressing key problems or capitalizing on emerging opportunities.

May 10, 2016
Commentary

Fixing Judicial Recusals

If judges or justices own stock in the company of a litigant, they must recuse themselves from hearing the case. While these recusals help ensure impartiality at the level of the individual judge, what effect do they have on the pool of judges that hear cases involving publicly held corporations?

Feb 10, 2016
Journal Article

Measuring How Stock Ownership Affects Which Judges and Justices Hear Cases

This study aims to measure the impact of recusals due to stock ownership on the pool of judges and justices that hear cases involving publicly traded corporations.

Sep 14, 2015
Journal Article

How Much Difference Does the Lawyer Make in Philadelphia Murder Cases?

One in five indigent murder defendants in Philadelphia are randomly assigned representation by public defenders while the remainder receive court-appointed private attorneys. Compared to appointed counsel, public defenders in Philadelphia reduce their clients' murder conviction rate by 19%, lower the probability of a life sentence by 62%, and reduce overall expected time served in prison by 24%.

Oct 1, 2012
Periodical

Type of Legal Representation Affects Outcomes in Murder Cases

An analysis of the outcomes for murder defendants who were represented either by public defenders or by appointed private counsel in Philadelphia raises important questions about the adequacy and fairness of the criminal justice system.

May 11, 2012
Research Brief

Research Brief

The Cost of Producing Electronic Documents in Civil Lawsuits: Can They Be Sharply Reduced Without Sacrificing Quality?

According to a RAND study, document review makes up 73 percent of discovery costs. Predictive coding is the most promising option for cutting costs without compromising the quality of the process.

Apr 11, 2012
Report

Predictive Coding Could Reduce E-Discovery Costs, but More Guidance Is Needed on Data Preservation

Companies could lower the high cost of large-scale electronic discovery in lawsuits by using a computer application known as predictive coding to reduce the number of documents requiring human review.

Apr 11, 2012
Report

Report

Asbestos-Related Claims Exceed 730,000, Cost More than $70 Billion

Claims for asbestos injuries have risen sharply since the 1990s and total more than 730,000 through 2002. At least 8,400 defendants have paid more than $70 billion on the litigation, 42 percent of which has gone to claimants.

May 9, 2005